dan, thanks very much. >> thanks for having me. jon: so as we count down to those year-end tax hikes and spending cuts that will affect the lives of virtually every single american, why one key republican lawmaker says his party is not even trying to solve the fiscal cliff crisis and why he thinks that may be a good thing. interesting take coming up. >>> plus, russian president vladmir putin, have you heard what he did? taking aim at americans who hope to adopt russian children. what's behind this controversial move? a live report next. jon: right now syria's opposition leader is rejecting an invitation for peace talks as the violence escalates. the country's ally, russia, is inviting the leader of syria's opposition to visit moskow for the first time but that offer turned down. some interesting developments here. let's get them from leland vittert live in our mideast bureau. leland? >> reporter: jon, no one really views russia as an honest broker here especially the rebels who for so long seen russia side with pat assad in this co